Improvement in ear-holders



Fo. BATCHELLBR.

Bahr-Holder.` l

No. 216,498.` Patented June 17,1879.

WITN 55555 Inh/ENTER it to fall in that place.

UNITED STATES` PATENT OEEIcE.

FANNEY O. BATOHELLER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN EAR-HOLDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 216,498, dated June 1'7, 1879; application filed June 12, 1878. v

To all 'whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, FANNEY C. BATCHEL- LER, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful invention in Ear-Holders, to hold human ears which lop forward or stand out in their proper place, (close to the side of the head,) which improvement is fully set forth in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

It is well known that the beauty and symmetry of the head and face of many persons, both old and young, are almost, if not entirely, destroyed by the protruding, loppin g, or stan ding out of the ears. The position of this organ is so conspicuous that, unless it stands up near the head in its proper place, it is very noticeable, and almost, in some cases, wholly destroys the pleasing eii'ect of the head and face. Many ladies regard this of so much importance that several un'availin g methods have been adopted to conceal this defect.

One method has been to bind the. ears close to the head at night with a handkerchief or bandage; but this can be conveniently and practically done only a part of the time and in privacy.

Another method adopted is to bind the tip ofthe ear during the day down and back with the lock of hair which grows out in front of of the ear, but which looks badly, is liable to slip off, and if drawn tight enough to keep the ear in place is very uncomfortable, and the constant tension or pulling oi' the hair causes It is found that neither of these methods is practicable.

This defect in the ear is natural in some, but is more frequentl f produced by the carelessness of mothers rnd nursesin the handling and treatment of young children and the method of tying the strings of the hat or covering of the head behind the ears. A part of the art of the hair-dresser consists in concealing as much as possible this defect.

In all applications to overcome this standing out or lopping tendency of the ear two things are desirable-first, a constant slight pressure of the ear to the head for the purpose of overcoming the lopping tendency of the ear; and, second, aconcealed method of holding the ear in place during the day, and particularly on all dress occasions, and which may have the double purpose of overcoming the natural lopping or protruding tendency and of concealing on special occasions this deformity and these objects I claim to have attained by my invention, which I will proceedto describe.

lt consists of two pieces of thin dat or round steel or other iieXible material bent in the shape of a hoop or shape of the head from the, tip of one ear over the topof the head to the tip. of the other ear. These pieces of metal are placed one upon the other, and are held together by a loop or band of the same ora-ny other suitable substance, so as to slide one upon the other for the purpose of elongating or shorteni'n g the whole band, so as to reach, when applied, from the tip of one ear over the top of thc head to the tip of the other ear.

At the outer ends or extremities of the band, secured by a rivet or other suitable means, are two or more prongs or ngers, the points of which, by means of the joint in the ends of the band1nay be separated and adjusted, so as to press upon the outer and upper tip or ring ot' the ear and holdit close Ato the head, one of the prongs or fingers being shorter than the other for the purpose named.

This device may be adjusted or applied by bending the band, if necessary, to the shape of the top of the head and elongating or short enin g it, so that the prongs or fingers will rest on the upper and outer tip or ring of the ear, as before stated, and it may be applied by placing the hoop or band over the headwbetween the front and back part-ing of a ladys hair or under the hair. y

It is desirable to place the shortest prong or finger forward near the face, as it will be less seen and is more easily adjusted. Then so adj Listed the hair may be combed over it so as to conceal, or almost wholly conceal, the prongs or iin gers upon the ear; or it may be applied in any other way to suit the taste or convenience of the wearer.

This band and the prongs or fingers may be made of the color of the hair and ears to render it less observable.

The elasticity of the metal or substance of which this band is made will produce a light,

constant, and not disagreeable pressure on the ear, and hold it to the head and overcome a tendency to lopping or standing out of this organ.

my said inven tion, the manner in Which it may be made, and its application to the head.

Figure l represents a human head and face, showing my invention in use. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my said invention. Fig. 3 shows an elevation of the same.

A and B are spring bows or bands having clasps a b,- and C C are the prongs or fingers, pivoted at o c.

I claim- An ear-holder consisting of the longitudinal' l The accompanying drawings also illustrate "adjustable band A B, in combination with the loosely-pivoted fingers C, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

FANNEY C. BATGHELLER.

' Witnesses: n

J osIAH W. HUBBARD, CHAs. L. ABBOTT. 

